An office is a place where you can perform administrative work. It is any space having required services to perform a certain duty. There are some core features that an office must have in order to be operational and then there are certain features that every office customizes as per their need. Basic office functions include, collecting, processing, recording, storing and furnishing information. The administrative functions are organization of office activities, control of stationery, purchase of equipment, safeguarding of assets, management of personnel etc.
Working from home offers many advantages including, but not limited to a flexible schedule set as per your own convenience, efficiency on time and travel, saving money on fuel by eliminating daily commute. However, in addition to being disciplined, being successful while working from home requires an efficient and well maintained office space. In private sector, the average work area per employee is at approximately 120 square feet. An employee’s workstation may only measure about 50-60 square feet, the rest of the space is allocated for filing, storage, copiers, meeting rooms, kitchen areas and walking space throughout the office. In a 10 Marla home there is almost 2722 square feet. It shows that one can easily setup an office in one room of 10 Marla home. For example, a spare room with a door may be best option for setting an office. Following are the ways to setup office at home.
- Make a list of needs
Before claiming a corner in one of your rooms and calling it an office, make a detailed list of essentials for a working home office. The list should include a desk, computer, printer, telephone, filing space and any other industry specific equipment that you might or might not need, depending upon the industry you want to operate in. However, if you are a consultant, you may need additional space for several locking, fireproof file cabinets, and possibly space for clients to meet with you. When making your list of critical needs, it is important to think about how you plan to use the home office.
- Choose a Dedicated Area
Once you have listed down the essentials, you are now in a better position to analyze and come up with the space you require for the office and can set aside a dedicated area of your home. Ideally, the office should be in a quiet area with some level of privacy and easy accessibility. This is especially important if you share the house with friends or family or even a roommate.
- Choose a Balanced area for Workspace and Storage Requirements
Often, a home office has a limited amount of space and can feel cramped even with only a chair and desk in the room. However, maintaining a professional office is dependent upon efficient utilization of space and selecting your equipment carefully. That means planning a space that has plenty of room for both storage (files, supplies, etc.) and an ample work area. You may have to get creative.
- Proper Lighting
When possible, choose a space for your office that allows plenty of natural light. You can also enhance the area with direct lighting. Add desk lamps, and floor lamps that can give concentrated lighting to your specific work area. Finally, regardless of the type of lighting available, make sure that your computer screen is positioned so that it prevents a glare from occurring.
- Use a Dedicated Phone
Using a home phone is less professional and may allow clients to question the legitimacy of the business. It confuses customers. Likewise, when sharing a phone, you risk having a child or other family member answers the phone, giving the impression that you are not running a real business. It is best to use a dedicated phone line for your home office.
- Invest in the Equipment
Getting started in your home workspace by using the right equipment is essential, and phones are not the only must-have pieces of equipment. Money should be spent on a good desk with proper workspace, a comfortable chair that can provide back support, a computer with efficient memory and performance, a fast Internet connection, and any other specialized equipment, tools, or software that is key for performance in your area of expertise.
- Separate Personal from the Professional
When working from home, it is important to keep your personal life from spilling over into your business life (and vice versa). Setting up a business bank account is the first step in helping you avoid mixing personal expenses with your business expenses.
To further reduce confusion, try to store personal cheques, records, and even mail in a room separate from your office. Fully segmenting these two parts of your lives may also help at tax time.
- Utilize Formal Processes
There is no need to write a formal employee handbook or publish a list of office rules, but determining a formal system of operations for your home workspace is useful. Keeping a few formal procedures in place for standard business functions will ensure your office stays organized, and that information is available where and when you need it.
- Make a Schedule
Flexibility is a key benefit of working for yourself in a home office but it still requires that you put in a fair amount of time. Setting a typical schedule for working in your office will help you stay focused. Perhaps even more important, keeping standard office hours (for the most part) also helps your clients know when you are available. By hanging a clock in office may also help you to follow a strict timetable.
Setup of an office at 10 Marla home is not too much complicated. First of all, you need to prepare yourself for it. After you’ve completed your preparations, the rest of the work is sure to come much more easily. Hopefully, by going through mentioned ways to set up an office, one can do it easily.
